Page 19 of Stick It
He still doesn’t spare me a single glance. Not the flicker of an eye movement. The slight uptilt of his lip. If he pulled that stunt on anyone else, he’d be grinning like a proud momma bear at his own idiocy.
Whirling on Ethan, I point a furious finger at him. “You!”
Lips flattened into a straight line, he arches an eyebrow as if to say,What?He’s moved farther into the room, depositing the pizza boxes on the coffee table before he stands to face me once again.
“Thispretend I don’t existrule is bullshit,” I tell him. “It’s one thing for the team to ignore me when we’re at practice, but it doesn’t work outside of that.” I gesture around us. “How are we supposed to live together when you ignore my very presence?” My throat goes tight, and I have to force out the next words. “You don’t get to act like I’m invisible. This is my house, too!”
There is the barest hitch in my voice, and I snap my mouthshut, moving to fold my arms over my chest and stare him down like I didn’t nearly show him or the others a hint of weakness.
Shoving back my shoulders, I lift my chin and, in a haughty voice, say, “Unless you all plan on moving out?”
His nose wrinkles, the only reaction he gives. Still, I can tell he’s considering what I said. Finn must see it, too, as he finally unglues his eyes from the TV to look at his captain.
When it seems as though Ethan isn’t going to say anything at all—some captain he is—Jax’s voice cuts through the silence from the doorway where he has been leaning casually against the frame, a silent observer to our interaction. “She’s not wrong.”
Ethan’s jaw tightens, but he nods begrudgingly. “No, unfortunately, she isn’t,” he agrees, tone clipped. His gaze remains on me. “What do you suggest instead?”
I shuffle beneath the scrutiny of his stare, not having expected him to ask my opinion. He’s the type to take charge, to make a decision and expect everyone to agree wholeheartedly.
“House rules,” I respond after giving it a moment’s thought. “We set rules for within this house, and if one of us breaks them, there are consequences.”
After a moment of deliberation, he nods his agreement.
“Are you two happy with that?” he asks, flicking his gaze toward Finn and Jax.
“All good here,” Jax immediately agrees.
“Sure,” Finn says, his tone much more blasé.
“We’ll set some house rules, then.” Striding over to the stairs, Ethan calls up to Kyle. “Get down here. Now.”
A few minutes later, Kyle reappears. “Is she go—” Seeing me standing there, his glare turns as sharp as ever. “Guess not,” he mutters under his breath.
Ethan points to the cuddle chair, and Kyle practically storms over to it. “What now?” he sighs, dropping dramatically onto the seat.
Ethan surveys the room, looking each of us in the eye, before saying, “None of us are happy about this situation, but Dylan is right.” Oh, I bet that hurt to say. “Regardless of what happens with the team, we are roommates, and we need to get along.” Oh, that looks like it hurt even more.
I suck my lips between my teeth to smother my smirk, but Jax notices, raising a single eyebrow, but I swear I catch a glint of amusement in his deep gaze.
I quickly look away, frowning as I focus back on Ethan’s speech.
“Let’s keep this simple,” he continues, widening his stance and crossing his arms over his chest as he surveys the room. “Common spaces are neutral. No fighting. No messing with someone else’s stuff. If you’ve got a problem, bring it to me, and we’ll get it resolved.”
He waits until the guys nod before piercing me with his gray-blue stare. “That about cover it?” he taunts.
Giving him a tight smile, I hold up my index finger. “I just have one more addition. What happens on the ice, stays on the ice.”
Kyle scoffs, but Ethan holds eye contact with me before nodding.
“I also want to know what you’re going to do about your little ‘ignore me’ rule after Roster Day.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I stare Ethan down, blocking out Kyle’s shuffling or the fact Finn is now sitting upright on the sofa, his feet planted and elbows resting on his knees as he listens.
“I don’t think we should worry about that just yet,” he responds diplomatically.
“Easy for you to say.” Raising my chin, I know I’m going to incite Kyle’s wrath as I dare to ask, “What happens if I get a spot on the team?”
Right on cue, Kyle scoffs, but I still don’t give him any ofmy attention. He’s not important. He’s as insignificant as a blade of grass.Ethanis the one who matters. The one who will make the decision, the leader who the team will look up to for guidance.
There’s a tightness to his jaw, a pursing of his lips before he says, “Don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself?”
